Instrument clamps



fivir July 16, 1963 A. B. CASTLE 3,097,820

INSTRUMENT CLAMPS Filed Oct. 24, 1960 ALFRED B. CASTLE INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 50 "ice 3,097,820 INSTRUMENT CLAMPS Alfred B. Castle, Brookmont, Md. (4104 Maryland Drive, Washington '16, D.C.) "Filed Oct. 24, 1960, Ser. No.'64,32 9 Claims. (Cl. 24827) Thepresent invention relates to clamping structure and more particularly to peripherally gripping clamping structure for securing an instrument on .a panel so that suchinstrument may be-eas'ily applied to and removed firom itssupporting panel-and the angular position of the instruments may be easily adjusted so indicator hands of several instrumentsmay be arranged in a predetermined patternallowingan observer such as a pilot to readily determine operating conditions without requiring separate reading of each instrument. This application is a.:continuation-in-part of application S.N. 573,164, filed March 22, 1956, now Patent No. 2,957,666.

. Hcretoforeinstruments have been supported in instrument panels by various means and some of these means have provided for rotatable adjustment, but some have notzbeenentirely satisfactory on the basis of cost, adaptability to limited mounting space and security of maintaining the instruments in position while being subject to vibration, accelerating forces, shocks and the like.

vAn: object of the present. invention is to overcome some of these problems of the prior art devices, to provide a light weightclamp occupying a minimum of panel space and operable from the front of the instrument panel, andwsecured in position by conventional fastening means.

Another object is to provide a linear motion producingtdevicein which the mechanical advantage varies.

Adurther :object is toprovide clamp means of general utilityand of varying mechanical advantage and operating speeds for clamping objects and involving structure occupying a minimum of space.

Other andfurther objects'will be apparent :as the description proceeds and .upon reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. v1 .isxa-top view of an instrument receiving band in open position mounted'on a panel showing the resilientselement forming a toggle linkage of increasing mechanical advantage operated by a screw to clamp an instrument and to secure the clamp on the panel and showing an :attachinglug on the opposite side of the clamping band.

'FIG. 2 is a'transverse section taken on broken line 2-2 of FlG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view ofanother form of clamp in substantially closed condition having a decreasingmeohanical advantage resilient linkage.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 illustrating the connection of the ends of the resilient element to the clamping band.

"FIG. 5 is a plan view of "another 'form of resilient toggle linkage of increasing-mechanical advantage ona clamping-band without overlapping ends.

FIG. 6 is a sectiontaken on broken line 6--6 of FIG. 5 showing the guides for the toggle linkage element.

FIG. 7. is a plan view. of anotheriorm of toggle linkage inoluding. separatelink elements providing increasing mechanical advantage upon tightening of the clamp with arclamp band'liaving overlapping end portions.

f-FIG. 8 is a section taken; on broken line =8-8of FIG. 7.

Briefly theclamping structure of the present invention includes a band for engaging an instrument or other object to be-gripped and means to distort theband producing a change in contour whereby theobject will be securely gripped. The distortion may'beobtained by 3,097,820 Patented July 16, 1 963 actuation of an operating element such as an operating screwwhich actuates a toggle arrangement of links producing a change in dimension in the band resulting in the clamping action.

Referring more particularly to the drawing and FIGS. 1 and 2 particularly, an instrument panel 10 has a circular instrument receiving opening 11 and an attaching screw receiving opening (not shown) receiving an attaehing screw 12 which is threaded in lug 13 secured to clamping band 14. A headed operating screw 15 passes tfreely through an aperture 16 in panel 10 and through elongated slots in lugs 17 and 18 mounted on one end portion 19 of the overlapping end portions ofthe clampingband 14 to hold theoperating screw in position. The end portion 19 is provided with a tongue receiving transversely extending slot 20 receiving tongue 21 of the other overlapping end portion of the clamping band, which tongue is relatively slidable through slot 20, the tongue and slot maintaining the band in circular form.

A circumferential slot 22 is provided in the one end portion 19 anda circumferential slot 23 is provided in end portion provided with tongue 21. The operating screw 15 passing through aperture 16 and slots in lugs Hand 18 is threaded through a nut 24 and an abutting central eye 25 of the link means formed of a resilient element. Strut link sections 26 and 27 extending from eye 25 terminate in hooks 28 and 29 respectively which pass'through slots 23 and 22 and are pivotally engaged in apertures in tongue 21 and end portion 1 9 respectively whereby when the screw 15 is rotated the motion of nut 24 thereon causes the eye 25 of the resilient element to move straightening the toggle linkage closing the clamping'band 14 securing an instrument in adjusted position. The nut is positively connected tothe eye 25 to prevent relative motion.

' In the modification of FIGS. 3 and 4 the instrument pane1 11) having the instrument receiving opening 11 has a clamping band 31 abutting the panel with the end portions36 and 35 being adjacent and having tongues 32 land 33 respectively overlapping the end portions 35 and 36 respectively. An operating-screw 37 extending through aperture 16 in panel 10 is threaded in a nut 38 which engages :and abuts aneye 54 cent-rally of a resilient link element having link sections 55 and 56 having hooks 57 and'58 engaging pivot apertures in dimples in end sections '36 and 35 respectively whereby tightening action of the screw causes the end sections to move toward each other with a reducing mechanical advantage and causing the head of the screw to'engage the panel holding the clamping band securely against the panel, it being apparent that an attaching lug such as 13 shown in FIG. 2 is provided for they other side of the clamping band. The overlapping tongues provide ior engagement with the screw .15 preventing objectionable engagement with an instrument during the tightening action.

. In the modification'of FIGS. 5 and 61a clamping band 65-.havingendportions 66 and 67 is secured in position at the otherside with an attaching lug and screw similar to lug 13 and screw 12 described .above and the end portions '6 6iand 67 are:drawn together by a headed operating screw 68 threaded into a nut 60 engaging aneye 70 centrally of a resilient link-age element.h-aving angularly disposed interconnected'liiikxsections 71 and .72 with the outer endof link section 72 having a book 73 in. annaperture in a dimple in end. section 67 vwhile the interconnection between link sections 71 and 72 is slidiably received in a slot in guide lug 74 secured to end porlion .616 of the band. Interconnected link sections "7 5 and 76 extending oppositely to link sections 71 and 72 have in an aperture in a dimple on end portion 66. It will be apparent that upon rotation of the screw 68 in a tightening direction the nut 69 will be drawn toward the panel causing the link sections to draw the end portions 66 and 67 together thereby clamping an instrument with an increasing mechanical advantage and also securing the clamp to the instrument panel. It will be apparent that the nut is prevented from rotation relative to eye 70 and the linkage. It will also be evident that the screw could be fixed to eye 70 and the nut applied on the exposed surface of the instrument panel. Overlapping lugs 79 and 80 secured to end portions 66 and 67 respectively prevent screw 68 from moving outwardly.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 a modified clamp includes a band 39 having its ends 40 and 41 in overlapping relation, a T-shaped opening or slot 42 being provided in end 40 and an opening or slot 43 being provided in end 41, the end 41 passing through the T-shaped slot thereby preventing outward separation of the end 41 that would otherwise overlie the end 40. Studs or rivets 44, 45 are secured to the ends 40 and 41 of the band and one end of a first strut link 46 is pivoted to stud 44 and one end of a second strut link 47 is pivoted to stud 45, the other ends of links 46 and 47 being pivotally connected together and to a pivot member 48 having a threaded aperture through which an operating screw 49 is threaded, the head of the operating screw engaging the instrument panel taking the reaction of tightening the screw in the pivot member 48. This operation of the screw draws the pivot member 48 and the links from the full line or open position of the clamp to the dotted line or clamping position of the clamp thereby producing a peripheral clamping action and after the instrument is clamped further tightening secures the clamp on the instrument panel 10.

For preventing radially outward movement of the screw 49 and pivot member 48, slotted guiding lugs 50 and 51 may be provided on band end 40, the slots being of suflicient length to permit necessary relative movement between the screw and the lugs to allow unobstructed tightening action within the range of the links. To assure aligning the pivot member 48 for insertion of the screw into the threaded aperture thereof the lug 51 may engage one flat surface of the pivot member 48 and to prevent excessive movement of the pivot member toward the lug 50 the lug 50 may be of sufiicient extent axially of the tube formed by the band 39 that the links cannot move beyond approximately the dotted line position of the links. The guiding lugs may be separate elements secured to the band 39 or may be formed by bending material of the band 39 to provide such lugs, the lug 50 taking any excess force so that the clamping pressure cannot damage the instrument and to prevent the toggle from breaking in the other direction. To attach the other side of the clamp a threaded lug 52 which may be similar to lug 13 is provided and the clamp is thereby secured to the instrument panel 10 and the instrument 14 can be adjusted as desired.

In the modification of FIGS. 1 and 2 and 7 and 8 it will be noted that the end portions are provided with a slight offset to accommodate a circular instrument without excessive distortion.

'It will be apparent that changes can be made within the valid scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp comprising a band having its end portions in overlapping relation, one of said end portions being provided with a slot receiving the other end portion, each radially outwardly overlapping end portion being provided with a circumterentially extending slot, an operating screw positioned outwardly of said band, means on said end portions confining said screw in a position axially parallel to the axis of said band, nut means on said screw, an interconnected pair of links having one end of each link connected to said nut, and the other end of each link pivotally connected to the cooperating end portion of the band and passing through the circumferentially extending slo-t whereby rotation of said screw will cause a change of the angular relation of said link means and move said end portions relative to each other.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which the link means is a continuous resilient element providing for the angular change by deflection of the material of said element.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which the link means includes two separate links pivotally connected to said nut and to said end portions.

4. An instrument clamp arrangement comprising a mounting panel having an instrument receiving opening, a clamping band registering with said opening and having its ends spaced apart, an operating screw extending through an aperture in said panel generally parallel to the axis of said band and radially outward of said band adjacent said ends, a nut on said screw adjacent said band, a continuous resilient element having its ends connected to the ends of the band and an intermediate portion connected :to said nut whereby when said screw is rotated said nut and intermediate portion of said resilient element will be positively deflected and cause the ends of said resilient element and band to move toward each other and cause said clamping band to close and thereby retain an instrument on said panel.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 4 in which the said resilient element includes at least two angularly arranged sections between the connection to the band and the connection to said nut, means to confine said angularly arranged sections in operative relation to said band whereby when said screw is rotated said band end portions will be drawn toward each other with increasing mechanical advantage.

6. The structure according to claim 4 in which said resilient element includes a single straight section between each end connected to said band and the intermediate portion connected to the nut whereby when the screw is operated the ends of the band are drawn together with a reducing mechanical advantage.

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which guide lugs having screw receiving openings are provided on said band for preventing the ends of the links connected to said pivot member from becoming inefiective and maintaining the links in operative postion whereby the ends of the band are positively moved by a toggle action as said screw is operated, and a shouldered screw acting on said clamp to maintain a fixed adjustment and to secure the band to a support.

8. The combination with an instrument panel having an instrument opening therethrough and diametrically disposed screw receiving apertures in said panel just outside of said instrument receiving opening, an instrument clamping band having its ends overlapping adapted to have one edge lie against one surface of said panel just outside the periphery of said instrument receiving opening, anchor lug means in alignment with one of said apertures and secured to said band intermediate the ends thereof, and an anchoring headed screw passing through said one aperture and threaded into said anchoring lug whereby said anchoring screw will secure the intermediate portion of said band to said panel, an operating headed screw passing through the other aperture, a cooperating nut on said operating screw, a pair of struts, one end of each strut being pivotally connected to an overlapping end portion of said band, the other end of each strut being connected to said nut so that with the band in expanded condition the struts are at a sharp anglediverging toward the head of said operating screw whereby rotation of said operating headed screw in a direction to draw said nut toward the head of said operating screw will cause the head thereof to firmly engage the other surface of said panel and will draw said nut toward said panel and cause said struts to approach a straight line relationship and draw said band together with sufiicient force to clamp an instrument and cause said band and the instrument supported thereby to be securely connected to said panel.

9. A clamping structure for producing displacement comprising strip material having a pair of end portions and a pair of extensions, each extension connected by One of its ends to one of the end portions, eachextension overlapping the other extension and the other end portion, 'a strut extending from the free end of each of said extensions, guide means on said end portions of said strip material adjacent the free ends of said extensions, each strut movably connected by one of its ends to the free end of its cooperating extension and extending toward the other end of the other strut, means interconnecting the said other ends of said struts, screw means extending transversely from said means interconnecting said other ends of said struts and transversely of said 6 strip material and generally parallel to the plane of said extensions and said struts, means to retain the screw means in operative position whereby operation of said screw means will cause the angularity between said struts to vary causing positive longitudinal displacement of the end portions of said strip material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CLAMP COMPRISING A BAND HAVING ITS END PORTIONS IN OVERLAPPING RELATION, ONE OF SAID END PORTIONS BEING PROVIDED WITH A SLOT RECEIVING THE OTHER END PORTION, EACH RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OVERLAPPING END PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SLOT, AN OPERATING SCREW POSITIONED OUTWARDLY OF SAID BAND, MEANS ON SAID END PORTIONS CONFINING SAID SCREW IN A POSITION AXIAL LY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID BAND, NUT MEANS ON SAID SCREW, AN INTERCONNECTED PAIR OF LINKS HAVING ONE END OF EACH LINK CONNECTED TO SAID NUT, AND THE OTHER END OF EACH LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE COOPERATING END PORTION OF THE BAND AND PASSING THROUGH THE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SLOT WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID SCREW WILL CAUSE A CHANGE OF THE ANGULAR RELATION OF SAID LINK MEANS AND MOVE SAID END PORTIONS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER. 